Philip Hammond just called 42% of the country a ‘menace’, in a chilling threat to UK democracy [TWEETS]

Philip Hammond just called 42% of the country a “menace” as he revealed the extremes that the Conservatives are going to in order to maintain power. In a speech he gave at a £400-a-head dinner to a room of big business figureheads, the Chancellor implored his listeners to support the Conservatives in order to keep Labour out of power.

Journalist Paul Mason described this as a call on the CEOs to “break fiduciary duty”. (Fiduciary duty is the obligation to act in the best interests of another party – which in this case would probably mean company shareholders.)

A “menace”

‘Menace’ is defined as “something that is likely to cause evil, harm, injury”. Labour won 40% of the popular vote at the 2017 general election and leads recent opinion polls on 42%. Jeremy Corbyn’s party has led nearly all voter intention opinion polls since the last general election. There is also the possibility of a snap election at any time, as the last one led to a hung parliament. So as Tory efforts to democratically persuade the public to vote for them are failing, they are apparently turning to rich business people in private.

But as the UK economy slows and the Conservatives continue their hatchet job of Brexit, the listening business people may have ignored Hammond altogether.

The real menace to Britain

Hammond just showed what the Conservatives really think of democracy. If they can’t stay in power through winning hearts and minds, they will apparently resort to whatever means necessary, whether democratic or not. Subverting democracy through ordering powerful people to support the Conservatives, while labelling 42% of the country as dangerous, shows just who the real menace to society is.

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